Ford Mustang

March, 2009

The body has slow progress ,I guess we have done about 15 % so far and it will take couple of months to finish it all.

Floor pan welding

After the trunk floor, the next step is to finish the floor pans. It helps to strengthen the body before we cut the rear quarter panels.



	After cutting the floor its necessary to repair the frame rail floor support. the original is in very bad shape. It can be purchased for about 30 USD at Mustang restoration parts shops but we decided to do it locally . It was made from two thick metal panels and then welded together.		The left rail is replaced ,. The parking brake holes and water drains are made as on the original.


	Bottom view of the replaced driver side floor pan.		Interior view. The front lip is welded as the original was. The replacement pan is larger about 20 cm more to the firewall. This part was cut and was used to patch the place around the parking brake cable hole. The pan is overlapped only about 2mm on the drive shaft tunnel and then full seam welded. After a little grinding the seam is nearly invisible.


	Rear part.		Right side was little bit hard to trim.


	Bottom view of replaced panels.

Front bumper

Ford used an urethane bumper for 71,72 Mach 1. It looks like a rubber but is more durable. The mine was in very bad shape, full of scratches and the metal core was badly rusted. Unfortunately the only aftermarket option is the chrome one. Over the last year, I have seen only one offered on ebay. So decided and try to restore my original one. I have cut the urethane cover and separated it form metal core and sandblast it. Now I will try to repair the metal reinforcement.



	The metal support after sandblasting.		I started to patch the middle part with 2.5 mm steel.


	The center welded in place.		The left side was completely gone and I need to create it new in about 40 cm length.


	For correct shape I need to cut the metal and bend into approximate shape.		Tack welded in place .The correct shape is very hard to obtain as I have only reversed template available on the opposite side.


	Repaired steel core. I put the urethane cover back. The final shaping will be done once mounted to the car with aligned fenders. Than I will fully seam weld the core and glue the urethane cover firmly.

Engine and transmission accessory painting



	Painted the transmission parts, like the pan in heat resistant paint.		Fan pulley, power steering pump and engine mounts painted in black.


	New headers were rusty little bit. I should not wonder as they were quite cheap ones for 100 bucks only. I sandblasted it and paint with heat resistant paint.